MasterChef

Gordon: Previously on "MasterChef"...

The fearsome "MasterChef" wall. We want identical plates!

Look at that. Both at the same time.

It's a tough one, especially when you can't see,

- and barely hear your partner. - I have no onion!

With only four spots in the semifinals up for grabs...

- Michelle and Zach. - You are definitely in sync.

...two duos rose to the occasion.

Jessica and Jesse, it's almost like you're side by side.

- Congratulations. - Two more locked in their place.

Rachel and Julio, it's a perfect mid-rare.

Congratulations, Tina and Aivan.

I am underwhelmed, but the beef is delicious.

- You're through to semifinals. - And one missed the mark.

Javier, your fish is overcooked. Man, it's dry.

Azu's, it is so salty. Very, very hard to eat.

- What a shame. Say goodbye. - (cheers and applause)

Tonight, it's the "MasterChef: Dynamic Duos" semifinal.

Look who's got the chef whites on.

The duos take on a familiar challenge...

- Keeping up with me. - ...but with a twist.

- Tag team style. - Uh-oh.

- Ooh, boy. - When Joe and I say "switch,"

you're gonna tag out with your partner.

Every five minutes, we'll tell you to switch.

- Boy, oh, boy. - Let's go! In to the shallots. Tilt the pan and flambé.

After that three cloves of garlic.

- Tina, be careful. - (gasps)

- Yes, baby. - Switch!

- Hey, Tina. Go, go. - Move, move, move, move, move.

- Into the oven we go. - Fat side down, into the oven.

- Put 'em in, Tina. - I got it.

- Oh, my gosh. - You've got to be patient and support your partner.

The feelings of frustration are not with Zach.

They're more with Gordon. Slow down! Please!

- Glaze your duck. - Faster.

- Purée off. - Oh, my God!

- Uh-oh. - Get your little flowers.

- The flowers! - Just calm down. Oh, my God.

I love this setup. My favorite challenge of the season.

Think this is gonna be my favorite, too.

- Ooh! - Yo.

Jessica: This feels in-freaking-credible.

- We did it. We did it. - We got into the semifinals.

Our journey started out as a bumpy one here at "MasterChef."

But we fought our way back in, and we're still fighting

until we make it into that finale.

- That's what we came here for. - Here we go.

Jesse: We're at a point in our lives where we need to take the next step

- to do something that we love. - We made it this far.

All we have to do is just push a little more.

First of all, congratulations on making it into the semifinal.

- Well done. - Great job, everybody.

- Good job. - We couldn't ask for a better four dynamic duos.

Soon enough, we're gonna be crowning our first ever pair of MasterChefs.

But if you want to win the title, the trophy,

and that quarter of a million dollars,

then just four dishes stand in your way.

Three in the finale and one tonight.

Guys, pulling off tonight's dish will be the hardest one yet.

- Yeah. - Because the time has come for the most iconic,

- the most feared challenge... - Yes!

...of every "MasterChef" season.

You all know what it is, right?

All: Keeping up with Gordon.

- Ba-bam. - Oh, boy.

That's right. For tonight's challenge,

you're gonna have to replicate one of my signature dishes,

and you're gonna have to do that whilst I'm cooking it.

That means tonight, for the first time this season, moving at my speed.

- Mm-hmm. - I'm actually very excited because not many people

can say that they've cooked alongside Gordon Ramsay.

And he is way fast.

But my family's story comes from survival and sacrifice.

So now, with my good luck charm,

we're gonna fight for our spot in the finale.

I am ready.

- Now that's not all. - Here it comes.

Since there's two of you, there's another "MasterChef" classic

- that we haven't done this season. - Aah!

- The tag team challenge. - Yes!

- Yup. - That's right, tonight,

it's keeping up with me tag team style.

- Uh-oh. - Ooh, boy.

Tiffany: Here's how it's gonna work.

Only one of you will be cooking along with Gordon.

The other half of the duo will be waiting at the end of the station.

And when Joe and I say "switch,"

you're gonna tag out with your partner.

Every five minutes, we'll tell you to switch.

Now, you'll need to stay focused on my every move.

If you're not cooking, communicate and help

your partner stay on track, because you must keep up.

- Understood? - Yes, Chef.

Right. Let's do this.

It's time to find out what you guys are gonna be cooking.

Tonight, all of you will be keeping up with me as I cook...

- What is it? - A delicious

pan roasted buckwheat crusted duck breast

sat on a bed of parsnip purée,

finished with a sweet and sour endive,

garnished with pickled daikon, pickled cherries,

and glazed with an amazing port wine sauce

- Wow. - Ooh.

- Okay. - All right.

This dish is literally straight off the menu

at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, and one of the reasons

why we've held three Michelin stars for nearly 25 years.

- Boy, oh, boy. - A lot of technique.

Now, there are a lot of places tonight

where this dish could go wrong

if you're not paying attention.

First off, the cook on the duck,

it needs to be caramelized on the skin,

and the duck served mid-rare.

The texture of that smooth parsnip purée,

and then think about the symmetry in the plating.

Whoever plates this dish really needs to understand

the precision and show great finesse.

This is insane. Like, three-star Michelin plate,

and we have to replicate that?

Every piece on that plate is meticulously cooked.

Are you kidding me right now?

This is an impossible feat right here.

Guys, let me tell you how it works.

You will need to move at his speed without getting tangled up.

At the end of this challenge, if your dish doesn't look

and taste exactly like Gordon's, then this could easily be

the last night of your competition here.

Right. Once I'm done, you will have 30 seconds to finish plating your dish.

- Oh, my God. - Oh, wow.

Right, all of you head to your benches

and discuss between yourselves

who is plating and who is starting?

I think you start because you're faster with prep.

- Plating is your strength. - You want me to finish?

- I'm asking you. I'm asking you. - I'll finish.

- You sure? Okay. - I'm sure.

- Right, are we ready? - Yes, Chef.

Head to your positions, please.

- Good luck, baby. - Yup.

- We got this, yeah? - Yeah.

Right. Our time starts now.

- Gases on, all of you. - Whoo!

Put all five burners on,

because trust me, we're gonna need them.

- Come on, baby. - Let's go.

Pan for the buckwheat, pan for the duck.

- (pans clattering) - Which one?

- With the lid. - Tina, top left. Top left.

Medium-sized pan on for the parsnip purée.

One for the pickling and one for your glaze. Five pans on. Let's go.

When you got five burners all on high heat with all pans going,

that's like a high wire act. No room for error.

- Small? - A couple smalls.

- The small ones right there. - What do I need?

Now sharpen your knife nicely.

The first and foremost important thing is getting that duck in, okay?

- There you go. Great job. Great job. - Sharpen your knife.

- I'm already behind. - You're okay, you're okay, you're okay.

The energy in the kitchen is tense.

- Gordon: Let's go guys. - Gordon is an icon.

It's gonna be near impossible to keep up with him.

But this dish is our ticket into the finale,

so we are going to have to just stay focused.

And not make any mistakes.

Gordon: From there, get your ducks out. Let's go!

- Focus. Serious. - We're scoring the duck first through the fat.

- Only the fat. - Beautiful, baby.

Criss-cross tiny squares. That will help release the fat and caramelize it.

- Tina, duck. - Same again on the other one. Let's go!

Tonight we're gonna be cooking with two duck breasts.

- Heard? - Yes, Chef.

This challenge is like stepping in a boxing ring,

and I'm just ready to dance around and--

Problem is, your opponent is Gordon Ramsay,

and this man has like eight arms attacking you at all times.

Now we nicely season the ducks. Salt, pepper.

- We with me? - Yes, Chef.

This is gonna be one for the books.

Right, next up, oil into the pan.

Okay, duck breast in. Skin side down.

- (sizzling) - That's the noise you want to hear.

Start searing those duck breasts.

- Olive oil into the middle. - Coming, coming, coming.

- Ducks in, baby. Yup. - Skin down?

What's the biggest jeopardy here in searing the duck breasts?

I mean, you know, crispy skin, the fat is rendered,

and the cook has to be medium-rare.

- That's the most important part of this. - Skin down.

- Both? - Yup.

Now get your buckwheat and lightly sprinkle that in to the pan.

Alongside that, salt and pepper,

and start toasting your buckwheat.

This one into the top left.

You can see Aivan directing Tina.

- Salt and pepper. Yup. - It's almost like Aivan's following Gordon

- and Tina's following Aivan's direction. - 100%.

- Now turn your duck breast over. Beautifully colored. - Mix the buckwheat up a little.

The super fan in me is so excited to be doing this challenge.